MOSCOW: Russia announced on Sunday that it had successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile named “Bulava” from one of its submarines, marking the first such launch in just over a year.
The missile, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, was launched from an undisclosed location in the White Sea on the country’s northwest coast and traveled thousands of kilometers to reach its designated target on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula.
The test launch of the Bulava missile comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and the West, particularly due to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine that began last February.
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The missile was fired from the newly commissioned nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine cruiser Emperor Alexander the Third. The Russian defense ministry confirmed that the launch was successful, emphasizing that the missile was fired from an underwater position and reached its intended destination as planned.
The Bulava missile, measuring 12 meters in length, was designed to be a vital component of Moscow’s nuclear triad and boasts an impressive range of over 8,000 kilometers (close to 5,000 miles).
